Fragrance dispenser with fragrance conservation features

Abstract

Fragrance dispensers with features that are capable of reducing wastage of fragrance, or of conserving fragrance, are disclosed. Such a fragrance dispenser may have a configuration that collects fragrance that is expelled from the fragrance dispenser, but has not vaporized or atomized sufficiently to dissipate into the environment, as well as fragrance that condenses immediately after it has been expelled from the fragrance dispenser. A spill-resistant bottle that may be used with a fragrance dispenser has a shape that orients an opening of the bottle in a somewhat upward orientation to prevent fragrance from spilling out when the bottle is tipped over. Fragrance dispensers with configurations that generate vortices to deliver fragrance into the surrounding environment are also disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A fragrance dispenser, comprising:
 a reservoir of fragrance; 
 a dispersal element capable of dispersing the fragrance to an environment in which the fragrance dispenser is located; 
 a power delivery element electrically coupled to the dispersal element; 
 a housing carrying the reservoir, the dispersal element, and at least a portion of the power delivery element, a top of the housing including a fragrance emission vent recessed therein, through which the fragrance is communicated from the dispersal element to the environment in which the fragrance dispenser is located, the fragrance emission vent having a configuration that:
 generates a vortex from the fragrance as the fragrance exits the housing; and/or 
 collects condensed fragrance and returns the condensed fragrance to the dispersal element and/or to the reservoir. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a reservoir coupling element for removably receiving the reservoir. 
     
     
       3. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the dispersal element comprises a fan. 
     
     
       4. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the power delivery element comprises a plurality of prongs capable of coupling with an electrical outlet. 
     
     
       5. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 1 , comprising a concave depression in the top of the housing. 
     
     
       6. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein openings of the fragrance emission vent have teardrop shapes. 
     
     
       7. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the openings are arranged in a circle, with points of the openings oriented toward a center of the circle. 
     
     
       8. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a charm connector on a front of the housing, the charm connector capable of coupling a decorative charm to the housing. 
 
     
     
       9. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the charm connector is capable of releasably coupling any of a plurality of decorative charms to the housing. 
     
     
       10. A fragrance dispenser, comprising:
 a reservoir of fragrance, the reservoir having a configuration that prevents spilling of the fragrance therefrom, the reservoir including:
 a base; 
 at least one sidewall extending from the base, the at least one sidewall including a lower portion and an upper portion, a ridge defined at a boundary between the lower portion and the upper portion, orientations and slant heights of the lower portion and the upper portion imparting the reservoir with a tendency, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion; and 
 an opening at or adjacent to an upper extent of the upper portion of the at least one sidewall; 
 
 a dispersal element capable of dispersing the fragrance to an environment in which the fragrance dispenser is located; 
 a power delivery element electrically coupled to the dispersal element; 
 a housing carrying the reservoir, the dispersal element, and at least a portion of the power delivery element, the housing including a fragrance emission vent through which the fragrance is communicated from the dispersal element to the environment in which the fragrance dispenser is located. 
 
     
     
       11. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the fragrance emission vent has a configuration that:
 generates a vortex from the fragrance as the fragrance exits the housing; and/or 
 collects condensed fragrance and returns the condensed fragrance to the dispersal element and/or to the reservoir. 
 
     
     
       12. A reservoir for use with a fragrance dispenser, comprising:
 a base; 
 at least one sidewall extending from the base, the at least one sidewall including a lower portion and an upper portion, a ridge defined at a boundary between the lower portion and the upper portion, a slant height of the lower portion being at least double a slant height of the upper portion, orientations and slant heights of the lower portion and the upper portion imparting the reservoir with a tendency, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion; and 
 an opening at or adjacent to an upper extent of the upper portion of the at least one sidewall. 
 
     
     
       13. The reservoir of  claim 12 , wherein:
 exterior surfaces of the base and the lower portion of the at least one sidewall are oriented at an angle of about 225° to about 260° to one another; and 
 exterior surfaces of the lower portion of the at least one sidewall and the upper portion of the at least one sidewall are oriented at an angle of about 200° to about 230° to one another. 
 
     
     
       14. The reservoir of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a neck defining the opening, extending from an upper extent of the upper portion of the at least one sidewall, and having a length that contributes to the tendency of the reservoir, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion of the at least one sidewall. 
 
     
     
       15. The reservoir of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a wick extending through the neck, with an upper portion of the wick protruding beyond an upper extent of the neck, the upper portion of the wick contributing to the tendency of the reservoir, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion of the at least one sidewall. 
 
     
     
       16. The reservoir of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 at least one engagement element on the neck, the at least one engagement element capable of being engaged by a complementary engagement element of a fragrance dispenser. 
 
     
     
       17. A fragrance dispenser, comprising:
 a reservoir of fragrance; 
 a dispersal element capable of dispersing the fragrance to an environment in which the fragrance dispenser is located; 
 a power delivery element electrically coupled to the dispersal element; 
 a housing carrying the reservoir, the dispersal element, and at least a portion of the power delivery element, the housing including a fragrance emission vent through which the fragrance is communicated from the dispersal element to the environment in which the fragrance dispenser is located, the fragrance emission vent having a configuration that:
 generates a vortex from the fragrance as the fragrance exits the housing; and/or 
 collects condensed fragrance and returns the condensed fragrance to the dispersal element and/or to the reservoir; and 
 
 a charm connector on a front of the housing, the charm connector capable of coupling a decorative charm to the housing. 
 
     
     
       18. The fragrance dispenser of  claim 17 , wherein the charm connector is capable of releasably coupling any of a plurality of decorative charms to the housing. 
     
     
       19. A reservoir for use with a fragrance dispenser, comprising:
 a base; 
 at least one sidewall extending from the base, the at least one sidewall including a lower portion and an upper portion, a ridge defined at a boundary between the lower portion and the upper portion, orientations and slant heights of the lower portion and the upper portion imparting the reservoir with a tendency, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion; 
 a neck extending from an upper extent of the upper portion of the at least one sidewall and having a length that contributes to the tendency of the reservoir, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion of the at least one sidewall; and 
 an opening defined by the neck. 
 
     
     
       20. The reservoir of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a wick extending through the neck, with an upper portion of the wick protruding beyond an upper extent of the neck, the upper portion of the wick contributing to the tendency of the reservoir, when resting on the at least one sidewall, to tilt onto the lower portion of the at least one sidewall. 
 
     
     
       21. The reservoir of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 at least one engagement element on the neck, the at least one engagement element capable of being engaged by a complementary engagement element of a fragrance dispenser.